Cotton module compacter

Abstract

A vehicle towable cotton module compacter (10) is disclosed for use in the cotton field on seed cotton. A rigid framework (12) has upper and lower rectangular frames (28, 22). The upper frame (28) has a hopper (88) with an open top mouth (90). The hopper (88) has a collection box (92) with a push plate (96) for discharging collected cotton rearwardly through an opening (94) into a vertical compaction chamber (30). The chamber (30) is formed by a stationary vertical front wall (32) and a pair of L-shaped doors (40, 42) hinged along vertical axes at their forward edges. The longitudinal sides (44, 46) of the doors (40, 42) form the right and left sidewalls of the compaction chamber (30), and the lateral sides (48, 50) of the doors (40, 42) each form half of the rear wall of the chamber (30). The left, right and rear chamber walls are tapered outwardly as they extend downwardly. The upper frame (28) includes tamper means (108) mounted above the compaction chamber (30). A tamper foot (120) has a plurality of parallel horizontal toes (124) vertically reciprocal into the compaction chamber (30) by a central vertical hydraulic cylinder (116). The tamper foot (120) is guided by guide poles (130, 132) and guide plates (126, 128) on opposite lateral sides of the hydraulic cylinder (116) for registered movement of the tamper foot (120) and aligned compaction of cotton within the chamber (30). The bottom wall of the compaction chamber (30) is formed by a horizontal pallet (52) movably carried on a conveyor (134) for rearward discharge of the compacted cotton module through opened doors (40, 42).

I claim: 
     
       1. A seed cotton compacter for field use comprising in combination; a frame;   a vertical compaction chamber mounted to said frame and including door means pivotal about a vertical axis between open and closed positions;   tamper means mounted to said frame above said compaction chamber and vertically reciprocal for tamping seed cotton in said compaction chamber into a compact module with said door means in said closed position, said door means in said open position permitting horizontal discharge of said compact module; and   said door means comprising a pair of L-shaped doors forming in said closed position left, and right and rear generally vertical walls of said compaction chamber, said doors forming said left, right and rear walls of said compaction chamber being tapered outwardly and rearwardly from top to bottom, each door being pivotally mounted to said frame at its forwrd vertical edge and extending rearwardly to define a respective right or left sidewall, and then inwardly to define part of the rear wall and meet the facing edge of the other door.   
     
     
       2. A seed cotton compacter for field use comprising in combination: a frame;   a vertical compaction chamber mounted to said frame and including door means pivotal about a vertical axis between open closed positions;   tamper means mounted to said frame above said compaction chamber and vertically reciprocal for tamping seed cotton in said compaction chamber into a compact module with said door means in said closed position, said door means in said open position permitting horizontal discharge of said compact module;   conveyor means mounted to said frame and carrying a pallet to a position below said compaction chamber to form a generally horizontal bottom wall of said compaction chamber, said conveyor means advancing said pallet rearwardly with said compact cotton module thereon through said door means in said open position;   said door means comprising a pair of L-shaped doors forming in said closed position left, right and rear generally vertical walls of said compaction chambers, each door being pivotally mounted to said frame at its forward vertical edge and extending rearwardly to define a respective right or left sidewall and then inwardly to define part of the rear wall and meet the facing edge of the other door.   
     
     
       3. A seed cotton compacter for field use comprising in combination: a frame;   a vertical compaction chamber mounted to said frame and including door means pivotal about a vertical axis between open and closed positions, said door means comprising a pair of L-shaped doors forming in said closed position left, right and rear generally vertical walls of said compaction chamber, each door being pivotally mounted to said frame at its forward vertical edge and extending rearwardly to define a respective right or left sidewall and then inwardly to define part of the rear wall and meet the facing edge of the other door;   tamper means mounted to said frame above said compaction chamber and vertically reciprocal for tamping seed cotton in said compaction chamber into a compact module with said door means in said closed position, said doors means in said open position permitting horizontal discharge of said compact module;   a pair of door supports for each door, each pair of said door supports comprising an upper and a lower door support extending laterally outwardly from said door adjacent said forward edge thereof and pivotally secured to said frame, the upper and lower pivot point attachments of said upper and lower door supports to said frame being vertically coaxial and the lateral dimension of said upper door support between its pivot point and said door being greater than the lateral dimension of said lower door support between its pivot point and said door.   
     
     
       4. The invention according to claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising hopper means mounted to said frame for receiving seed cotton and having a discharge opening above said compaction chamber and below said tamper means when the latter is at the top of its vertical travel stroke. 
     
     
       5. The invention according to claim 4 further comprising a pusher plate mounted to said frame for discharging cotton in said hopper means into said compaction chamber. 
     
     
       6. The invention according to claim 2 further comprising retractable deflection means within said compaction chamber below said discharge opening for deflecting seed cotton discharged from said discharge opening into said compaction chamber. 
     
     
       7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said discharge opening is above a front wall of said compaction chamber, and wherein said retractable deflection means comprises a hinged deflection plate having a retracted position substantially flush with said front wall and an extended position pivoted about its top edge away from said front wall and into said compaction chamber. 
     
     
       8. The invention according to claim 7 further comprising: driver means actuatable to move said deflection plate between said retracted and extended positions; and   sensor means responsive to the completion of a discharge cycle by said hopper means to initiate actuation of said driver means to move said deflection plate from said extended position to said retracted position, and responsive to said retracted position of said deflection plate to enable actuation of said tamper means for vertical reciprocation thereof.   
     
     
       9. The invention according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said tamper means comprises: support bar means rigidly secured to said frame;   hydraulic cylinder means rigidly secured to said support bar means and extending vertically upwardly therefrom and having a vertically reciprocal plunger with a lower end below said support bar means; and   a tamper foot secured to said plunger at the lower end thereof.   
     
     
       10. The invention according to claim 9 wherein said tamper means further comprises: a pair of guide poles extending vertically upwardly from said tamper foot from opposite sides of said plunger and slidingly received through said support bar means.   
     
     
       11. The invention according to claim 2 wherein: said compaction chamber has a front wall rigidly secured to said frame with a bottom edge spaced above said conveyer means;   said frame includes pallet stacking means forwardly of said front wall of said compaction chamber for receiving and stacking a plurality of pallets; and   said conveyer means advances the bottom pallet in said stack rearwardly below said front wall of said compaction chamber to a position below said compaction chamber to form said bottom wall thereof.   
     
     
       12. The invention according to claim 11 wherein: said conveyer means comprises: support track means mounted to said frame below said compaction chamber and extending longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly thereof; and   longitudinal chain driven advancement means guided by said support track means;     said pallets rest on said support track means;   said chain driven advancement means engages the front edge of said pallet forming said bottom wall of of said compaction chamber and drives it rearwardly with said compacted cotton module thereon through said doors in said open position to discharge said module; and   said chain driven advancement means engages the front edge of said bottom pallet in said stack and drives it rearwardly to replace said last mentioned discharged pallet and form the bottom wall of said compaction chamber for the next cotton module.   
     
     
       13. A seed cotton compacter for field use comprising in combination: a portable longitudinal frame;   hopper means mounted to said frame and having an open mouth for receiving seed cotton and having a rearward discharge opening;   a vertical compaction chamber mounted to said frame rearwardly of and below said discharge opening of said hopper means, said compaction chamber comprising: an open top;   a front wall rigidly secured to said frame; and   door means forming left and right sidewalls and a rear wall of said compaction chamber, said door means being pivotal about a vertical axis between open and closed positions;     tamper means mounted to said frame above said compaction chamber and vertically reciprocal therein with an uppermost position spaced above said discharge opening of said hopper means, said tamper means tamping seed cotton discharged from said hopper means to said compaction chamber into a compact module with said door means in said closed position; and   conveyer means mounted to said frame and carrying a pallet to a position below said compaction chamber to form a horizontal bottom wall of said compaction chamber, said conveyer means carrying said pallet rearwardly with said compact cotton module thereon through said door means in said open position.   
     
     
       14. The invention according to claim 13 wherein said tamper means comprises: compaction driver means rigidly secured to said frame; and   a tamper foot driven in vertical reciprocation in said compaction chamber by said compaction driver means, the vertical travel stroke of said tamper foot decreasing as the height of the cotton module in said compaction chamber increases;   and further comprising sensor means sensing a predetermined short travel stroke of said tamper foot indicating a predetermined height of the compacted cotton module in said compaction chamber.   
     
     
       15. The invention according to claim 14 wherein said sensor means is mounted to said frame above said compaction chamber. 
     
     
       16. The invention according to claim 15 comprising: a vertical guide pole extending upwardly from said tamper foot;   trip means extending laterally from said guide pole and vertically spaced above said tamper foot;   said sensor means comprising electrical switch means mounted to said frame between said tamper foot and said trip means when said tamper means is in the uppermost position;   said electrical switch means having an actuator extending into the path of motion of said trip means such that said trip means trips said switch means during downward travel of said tamper foot below a given cotton module height; and   a non-tripped condition of said switch means at the bottom of the travel stroke of said tamper foot indicating said predetermined height of said cotton module.   
     
     
       17. The invention according to claim 14 wherein: said frame has rigid support bar means extending across and above said compaction chamber;   said compaction driver means comprises a hydraulic cylinder rigidly secured to said support bar means and extending vertically upwardly therefrom and having a vertically reciprocal plunger therein with a lower end below said support bar means;   said tamper foot is secured to said lower end of said plunger and has guide pole means extending vertically upwardly therefrom slidably through said support bar means for vertical reciprocation therethrough and registered aligned guidance thereby;   said sensor means comprises a limit switch attached to said support bar means with an actuator lever arm extending laterally therefrom; and   said guide pole means has trip means secured thereto and engagable with said actuator lever arm of said limit switch.   
     
     
       18. The invention according to claim 13 wherein said tamper means comprises compaction driver means rigidly secured to said frame and driving a tamper foot vertically downwardly into said compaction chamber, said tamper foot comprising an integral member with a lateral crosspiece and a plurality of parallel spaced toes extending longitudinally thereacross. 
     
     
       19. The invention according to claim 18 wherein each of said toes is upwardly apexed to form in vertical cross section an inverted V-shape. 
     
     
       20. The invention according to claim 18 wherein: said frame has rigid support bar means extending across and above said compaction chamber;   said compaction driver means comprises a hydraulic cylinder rigidly secured to said support bar means and extending vertically upwardly therefrom and having a vertically reciprocal plunger with a lower end secured to said lateral crosspiece of said tamper foot; and   said tamper foot has a pair of guide poles extending from said lateral crosspiece on opposite sides of said plunger vertically upwardly slidingly through guidance and alignment apertures in said support bar means.   
     
     
       21. The invention according to claim 13 wherein: said door means comprises a pair of L-shaped doors forming in said closed position left and right sidewalls and a rear wall of said compaction chamber;   each door is pivotally mounted to said frame at its forward vertical edge and extends rearwardly to define a respective left or right sidewall and then inwardly to define half of the rear wall and meet the facing edge of the other door; and   each door has upper and lower door supports extending laterally outwardly therefrom adjacent said forward edge of said door and pivotally mounted to said frame at upper and lower pivot points spaced laterally outward of the left and right vertical edges of said front wall of said compaction chamber.   
     
     
       22. The invention according to claim 21 wherein said frame comprises: a pair of central vertical supports adjacent said forward edges of said doors; and   upper and lower horizontal cross supports laterally bridging said central vertical supports and extending in front of said compaction chamber, said cross supports pivotally mounting said door supports;   and further comprising hydraulic cylinder means extending between a respective door and central vertical support for opening and closing said doors.   
     
     
       23. The invention according to claim 13 further comprising wheel means mounted to said frame, and hydraulic cylinder means mounted to said frame for raising and lowering said wheel means. 
     
     
       24. The invention according to claim 23 comprising guide structure for said wheel including a reception sleeve rigidly secured to said frame and a plunger member vertically telescopically reciprocal in said sleeve and guidingly aligned therein against lateral movement, the lower end of said plunger member being secured to said wheel means and the upper end of said plunger being secured to said hydraulic cylinder means. 
     
     
       25. The invention according to claim 13 wherein said conveyer means comprises: a pair of parallel laterally spaced support tracks mounted to said frame below said compaction chamber and extending longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly thereof, said pallet resting on said support tracks;   a pair of sprocketed rollers, one at each end of said support tracks;   a pair of endless drive chains received on said rollers and extending longitudinally around said rollers along said support tracks, said drive chains lying below said compaction chamber, said drive chains being laterally spaced by a distance less than the lateral width of said compaction chamber; and   hook means on said chains for advancing said pallet rearwardly.   
     
     
       26. The invention according to claim 25 further comprising pallet stacking means on said frame forwardly of said compaction chamber for stacking a plurality of pallets on said support tracks for engagement by said hook means of the bottom pallet of said stack for rearward advancement below said front wall of said compaction chamber. 
     
     
       27. A seed cotton compacter for field use comprising in combination: a portable longitudinal structual frame having upper and lower rectangular sections joined by a plurality of vertical supports providing a rigid structure;   a vertical compaction chamber mounted on said frame between said upper and lower sections and comprising a stationary front wall and a pair of L-shaped doors forming left and right sidewalls and a rear wall of said compaction chamber, said doors having substantially vertical forward edges adjacent respective left and right edges of said front wall of said compaction chamber, said doors extending rearwardly to form respective left and right sidewalls of said compaction chamber and then extending inwardly to meet the opposing facing edge of the other door and form said rear wall of said compaction chamber, said compaction chamber having a bottom horizontal wall formed by a pallet;   attachment means pivotally mounting said doors to said frame adjacent said forward edges of said doors provide laterally outward and inward pivoting of said doors between open and closed positions about vertical pivot axes;   tamper means mounted to said upper section of said frame above said compaction chamber and vertically reciprocal for tamping seed cotton in said compaction chamber into a compact module with said doors in said closed position; and   conveyor means mounted to said frame for advancing said pallet rearwardly through said doors in said open position for discharge of the compacted cotton module in said chamber and for advancing a pallet from a position forward of said compaction chamber rearwardly beneath said front wall of said compaction chamber to the position formerly occupied by said first mentioned pallet.   
     
     
       28. The invention according to claim 27 further comprising: wheel means mounted to said frame to enable towing of said compacter; and   hopper means mounted to said frame and having an open mouth for receiving seed cotton and a discharge opening which is forward of and above said compaction chamber for discharging said cotton into said compaction chamber from above at a point below the uppermost position of said tamper means.   
     
     
       29. The invention according to claim 27 further comprising a plurality of sensor means mounted to said frame and comprising in combination: a tamper means sensor sensing a predetermined vertical travel stroke length of said tamper means which is less than the maximum travel stroke length, to indicate a corresponding predetermined height of the compacted cotton module in said compaction chamber;   one or more door sensors sensing said open and closed positions of said doors; and   a pallet sensor sensing movement of said pallet past a given position.   
     
     
       30. The invention according to claim 29 further comprising hopper means mounted to said frame and comprising: an open mouth for receiving seed cotton;   a collection box portion;   a rear discharge opening which is forwardly of and above said compaction chamber and below said tamper means in the uppermost position thereof; and   longitudinally reciprocal push plate means for pushing cotton collected in said collection box portion rearwardly through said discharge opening into said compaction chamber;   and wherein said sensor means further comprises in combination a push plate sensor sensing rearward movement of said push plate to a discharging position.   
     
     
       31. A seed cotton compacter for field use comprising in combination: a portable longitudinal frame;   a vertical compaction chamber mounted to said frame for receiving seed cotton;   said compaction chamber having an open top, a front wall rigidly secured to said frame, and door means forming left and right sidewalls and a rear wall of said compaction chamber, said door means being pivotal about a vertical axis between open and closed positions;   tamper means mounted to said frame above said compaction chamber and vertically reciprocal therein for tamping seed cotton in said compaction chamber into a compact module with said door means in said closed position;   conveyer means mounted to said frame and carrying a pallet to a position below said compaction chamber to form a horizontal bottom wall thereof, said conveyer means carrying said pallet rearwardly with said compact cotton module thereon through said door means in said open position.   
     
     
       32. The invention according to claim 31 wherein said tamper means comprises: compaction driver means rigidly secured to said frame; and   a tamper foot driven in vertical reciprocation in said compaction chamber by said compaction driver means, the vertical travel stroke of said tamper foot decreasing as the height of the cotton module in said compaction chamber increases.   
     
     
       33. The invention according to claim 32 wherein: said frame has rigid support bar means extending across and above said compaction chamber;   said compaction driver means comprises a hydraulic cylinder rigidly secured to said support bar means and extending vertically upwardly therefrom, said hydraulic cylinder having a vertically reciprocal plunger with a lower end below said support bar means; and   said tamper foot is secured to said lower end of said plunger and has guide pole means extending vertically upwardly from said tamper foot slidably through said support bar means for vertical reciprocation through and registered aligned guidance by said support bar means.   
     
     
       34. The invention according to claim 33 further comprising sensor means mounted to said frame above said compaction chamber and sensing a predetermined travel stroke length of said tamper foot indicating a predetermined height of the compacted cotton module in said compaction chamber. 
     
     
       35. The invention according to claim 34 wherein: said guide pole means has trip means extending laterally therefrom and vertically spaced above said tamper foot;   said sensor means comprises electrical switch means mounted to said frame between said tamper foot and said trip means when said tamper means is in the uppermost position;   said electrical switch means has an actuator extending into the path of motion of said trip means such that said trip means trips said switch means during downward travel of said tamper foot below a given cotton module height; and   a non-tripped condition of said switch means at the bottom of the travel stroke of said tamper foot indicates the cotton module has attained said predetermined height.   
     
     
       36. The invention according to claim 35 wherein: said support bar means has a recessed aperture adjacent the portion thereof receiving said guide pole means;   said trip means has a vertical path of motion through said recessed aperture; and   said switch means comprises a limit switch attached to said support bar means with an actuator lever arm extending laterally therefrom in vertical alignment with said recessed aperture in the path of motion of said trip means.   
     
     
       37. The invention according to claim 31 wherein: said door means comprises a pair of L-shaped doors forming in said closed position said left and right sidewalls and said rear wall of said compaction chamber;   each door is pivotally mounted to said frame at its forward vertical edge and extends rearwardly to define a respective said left or right sidewall and then inwardly to define half of said rear wall and meet the facing edge of the other door; and   each door has upper and lower door supports extending laterally outwardly therefrom adjacent to said forward edge and pivotally mounted to said frame at upper and lower pivot points spaced laterally outward of the left and right vertical edges of said front wall of said compaction chamber.   
     
     
       38. The invention according to claim 37 wherein: said frame has a pair of central vertical supports adjacent said forward edges of said doors, which vertical supports are laterally bridged by upper and lower horizontal cross supports extending in front of said compaction chamber and to which are pivotally mounted said door supports;   and further comprising hydraulic cylinder means extending between a respective door and central vertical support for opening and closing said doors.   
     
     
       39. The invention according to claim 37 wherein the upper and lower pivot point attachments of said upper and lower door supports to said frame are vertically coaxial, and wherein the lateral dimension of said upper door support between its pivot point and said door is greater than the lateral dimension of said lower door support between its pivot point and said door. 
     
     
       40. The invention according to claim 31 further comprising: wheel means mounted to said frame;   elevation driver means mounted to said frame for raising and lowering said wheel means; and   guide structure for said wheel means including a reception sleeve rigidly secured to said frame and a plunger member vertically telescopically reciprocal in said sleeve and guidingly aligned therein against lateral movement, the lower end of said plunger being secured to said wheel means and the upper end of said plunger secured to said elevation driver means.   
     
     
       41. The invention according to claim 31 wherein said conveyer means comprises: a pair of parallel laterally spaced channel-shaped support tracks mounted to said frame below said compaction chamber and extending longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly thereof, said pallet resting on said support tracks;   a pair of sprocketed rollers, one at each end of said support tracks;   a pair of endless drive chains received on said rollers and extending longitudinally around said rollers and through said channel-shaped support tracks, said drive chains lying below said compaction chamber and laterally spaced by a distance less than the lateral width of said compaction chamber; and   hook means on said chains for advancing said pallet rearwardly.